Flight MH17 was said by eyewitnesses to have "exploded" after it was reportedly shot down by a ground-to-air missile.

In a statement released this morning, Malaysia Airlines said: "With immediate effect, all European flights operated by Malaysia Airlines will be taking alternative routes avoiding the usual route.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was on a scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur went down in eastern Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines confirms that the aircraft did not make a distress call.

"The usual flight route was earlier declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. International Air Transportation Association has stated that the airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions.

"As opposed to the earlier statement, the flight was carrying a total number of 298 people – comprising 283 passengers including three infants of various nationalities and 15 crew of Malaysian nationality.

"Some of the nationalities of the passengers are yet to be determined."

Ukrainian officials say they believe all 283 passengers and 15 crew members died in the crash, which has been blamed on separatist rebels.

However, no group has yet admitted responsibility for bringing the plane down.

Those on board included nine British citizens, 154 Dutch passengers, 27 Australians, 23 Malaysians, 11 Indonesians, four from Germany, four from Belgium, three from the Philippines, and one from Canada.